Based on a series of tests, European scientists now believe that depression can increase mortality rates as much as smoking.
According to a study by researchers at the King's College in London, and the University of Bergen in Norway, depression is as deadly as smoking.
"Patients with depression face an overall increased risk of mortality, while a combination of depression and anxiety lowers the mortality risk compared with depression alone," lead author Dr Robert Stewart said.
He said, "The possible reasons that may underlie these surprising findings is that Unlike smoking, we don't know how causal the association with depression is but it does suggest that more attention should be paid to this link because the association persisted after adjusting for many other factors".
Utilising a unique link between a survey of over 60,000 people and a comprehensive mortality database, the researchers found that over the four years following the survey, the mortality risk was increased to a similar extent in people who were depressed as in people who were smokers, The British Journal of Psychiatry said.
"One of the main messages from this research is that 'a little anxiety may be good for you," Stewart said.
In light of the findings, Dr Stewart makes suggestions on the focus of future developments in the treatment of depression and anxiety: "The physical health of people with current or previous mental disorder needs a lot more attention than it gets at the moment".
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Depression is as deadly as smoking: Study
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Smoking ban leads to drop in heart attacks: Study
Smoking ban has resulted in a 27 percent decrease in heart attacks in the city of Starkville in United States, reveals a new study.
Researchers, led by Robert McMillen and Dr Robert Collins, have also recommended a state-wide public ban on smoking.
The study — that focussed on Starkville residents in the three-year span after the ban became law, compared to three years prior — showed fewer heart attacks being treated at the Oktibbeha County Hospital.
The findings are part of a larger SSRC evaluation of Mississippi communities that passed smoking bans in recent years. McMillen said the data shows Starkville benefitting medically from the smoking ban.
"The emerging scientific consensus clearly demonstrates that communities like Starkville can reduce heart attacks simply by prohibiting smoking in indoor public places. Smoke-free laws are popular with the public and are free to implement," said McMillen.
The MSU investigation mirrors findings of a federally commissioned panel of scientists recently made public.
Commissioned by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that report by the independent and non-profit Institute of Medicine examined information from 11 studies of communities in Canada, Italy, Scotland, and the United States.
The CDC/IM concluded that bans on smoking in public places reduces cases of heart attacks and heart disease.
"Our research substantiates that report from the Institute of Medicine," McMillen said.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Smoking can cause chronic lower back pain
Canadian researchers have linked smoking to chronic lower back pain.
In the study, boffins identified a higher rate of chronic lower back pain among people who smoke every day, reports News.com.au.
According to Professor Michael Cousins, the research suggests that smoking interferes with pain transmitters, causing osteoporosis.
The condition resulted in chronic lower back pain which could also trigger a "downward spiral" in a person's life, he warned.
"Chronic pain is now regarded as a disease in its own right," said Prof Cousins, who is director of the Pain Management Research Institute at Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital.
"Patients with it rapidly progress into a downward spiral of physical, psychological and environmental changes, resulting in major deterioration of all life activities, in their work, family and community roles,” he added.
Prof Cousins commented on the study published in the journal Clinical and Investigative Medicine, and included more than 73,000 people aged 20-59.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Now it's easier to quit smoking using laser acupuncture
In some good news for smokers who want to kick the butt, doctors in the capital city have introduced Laser acupuncture therapy which they promise will bring major changes in their habits without any withdrawal symptoms.
"With laser acupuncture, we can help chain smokers to quit smoking in two days in a painless and non-invasive manner," Dr Ravinder K Tuli, senior consultant holistic medicine, Apollo hospital, said.
The treatment has an added merit that it helps one to quit smoking without any withdrawal symptoms which includes headaches and other uneasiness, thereby dramatically increasing the chances of success, he said.
Explaining how Laser acupuncture works Tulsi said, "Using a low level laser, light energy is used to stimulate the nervous system to produce endorphins - nature's mood lifters and pain relievers. This system calms the nervous system, eliminates craving and helps one quit smoking."
Application of soft harmless invisible infra red laser beam on key acupuncture points on the body sets in a sequence of neuro-humoral events leading to harmonisation of complex chemicals in central nervous system called neurotransmitters.
It in turn releases endorphins which direct the body into a healing mode leaving a person in a state of contentment, he explained.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Smoking during pregnancy ‘puts kids at risk of psychotic symptoms’
Pregnant women who smoke put their children at increased risk of developing psychotic symptoms in their teenage years, says a new study.
The research published in the October issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry has shown a link between maternal tobacco use and psychotic symptoms.
Researchers from Cardiff, Bristol, Nottingham and Warwick Universities studied 6,356 12-year-olds from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. All the children completed an interview for psychotic-like symptoms, such as hallucinations or delusions. Just over 11 percent of the children (734) had suspected or definite symptoms of psychosis.
Smoking during pregnancy was found to be associated with an increased risk of psychotic symptoms in the children. The researchers observed a ''dose-response effect'', meaning that the risk of psychotic symptoms was highest in the children whose mothers smoked the most heavily during pregnancy.
The study also examined whether alcohol use and cannabis use during pregnancy was associated with a higher risk of psychotic symptoms.
Drinking during pregnancy was associated with increased psychotic symptoms, but only in the children of mothers who had drunk more than 21 units of alcohol a week in early pregnancy. Only a few mothers in the study said they had smoked cannabis during pregnancy, and this was not found to have any significant association with psychotic symptoms.
The reasons for the link between maternal tobacco use and psychotic symptoms are uncertain. But the researchers suggest that exposure to tobacco in the womb may have an indirect impact by affecting children''s impulsivity, attention or cognition.
Dr Stanley Zammit, a psychiatrist at Cardiff University's School of Medicine and lead author of the study, said "In our cohort, approximately 19 per cent of adolescents who were interviewed had mothers who smoked during pregnancy.
"If our results are non-biased and reflect a causal relationship, we can estimate that about 20 per cent of adolescents in this cohort would not have developed psychotic symptoms if their mothers had not smoked. Therefore, maternal smoking may be an important risk factor in the development of psychotic experiences in the population."
Friday, July 17, 2009
Hookah joint 400% More toxic than Deonar dump'
Anti-smoking NGO survey paints a grim picture of pollution levels in city parlours, restaurants, pubs and country liquor bars
Take a deep breath, the next time you pass the Deonar dump a deeper one than you might do as you sip coffee at your favourite hookah palour.
Reason? The BMC's biggest dump is only one-fourth as toxic. This is what a recent survey conducted by anti-smoking NGO Healis Sekhsaria claims, as it compares the air quality at two of the city's dumps against country liquor bars and hookah parlours surveyed across the city.
According to measurements made by the NGO from March 19 to April 30 this year, the particulate matter levels per cubic metre (pm2.5 µg/m3) were nearly 400 per cent higher in hookah parlours compared to the Deonar dump.
Killer air
Director of Healis, Dr P C Gupta, said, "Many country liquor bars and hookah parlours we surveyed flout the smoking ban.
Often, the air within a smoking area eventually enters the non-smoking area, as the rooms are insufficiently ventilated," said Gupta.
Armed with personal aerosol monitors, members of the NGO spent at least one hour at restaurants, pubs, country liquor bars and hookah parlours across the city.
At the hookah parlours, the particulate levels were as high as 707.04 pm µg/m3, while at country liquor bars, the levels were at 326.56 µg/m3.
This is in stark comparison to the dumping grounds at Sudha Park in Ghatkopar and Shivaji Nagar at Deonar where levels of particulate stood at 148.5 pm µg/m3 and 169.5 pm µg/m3 respectively.
Exaggerated claims?
Hookah palour owners however feel that the NGO is stretching the facts.
"I have four exhausts in both my hookah parlours and 40 per cent of my electricity bill is spent on keeping the exhausts running. Our parlours are air-conditioned.
So, there's enough fresh air being pumped in and stale air being sucked out. This report is highly exaggerated," said restaurateur Rahul Kanal, who owns hookah parlours in Bandra and Andheri.
Statistics
Particulate matter levels
Sudha Park, Ghatkopar: 148.5
Shivaji Nagar, Deonar: 169.5
At country liquor bars: 326.56
At hookah restaurants: 707.04 Air Quality Index(measured in pm)
0-50: Good
51-100: Moderate
101-50: Unhealthy for sensitive group
151-200: Unhealthy
201-300: Very unhealthy
301-500: Hazardous
